Chewing gum compositions typically include gum base, flavoring and bulking and sweetening agents, as well as other optional ingredients such as softeners and coloring. Bulking and sweetening agents often include sugar, glucose syrup and high-intensity sweeteners. High-intensity sweeteners are most commonly used in conjunction with sugarless sweeteners. Sweetening agents generally are rapidly released from the chewing gum product. As a result of early release, chewing gum products tend to lose their sweetness after a short period of time. A need, therefore, exists for a method of improving and maintaining the sweetness characteristics of chewing gum products.
Perillartine is a naturally occurring aldoxime sweetener found in the oil of Perilla namkemonsis Deone. It is 2000 times sweeter than sucrose. The main component of Perilla oil is Perilla aldehyde. Perillartine, the anti-aldoxime of this aldehyde, can be formed synthetically from the reaction of Perilla aldehyde with hydroxylamine. Perillartine, which was first isolated and identified in 1920, can now be synthesized from limonene. While permitted as a sweetener for tobacco in Japan, additional commercial applications are limited by its bitterness, its menthol-licorice taste and its very low water solubility.
Analogues of perillartine have been developed in an effort to increase its water solubility and minimize its bitterness while maintaining its high sweetness potency. One such analogue, SRI Oxime V, is a low molecular weight aldoxime that is 450 times sweeter than sucrose. This sweetener has heat stability in baked goods and adequate acid stability for soft drinks. Another analogue is 8,9-epoxyperiliartine, which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,132. This ingredient is more water soluble with little or no bitter aftertaste. Japanese patent publication No. 1992-173056 discloses a chewing gum for preventing mouth odor and/or tooth decay. Ingredients used for preventing mouth odor include substances from one or more types of plants from the Perilla family, such as rosemary or sage. Most of the other disclosures of perillartine show its use in oral compositions such as toothpaste, mouthwash, tooth powder or dental tablets for the reduction of caries or plaque or to provide other dental benefits.